Best Vegetarian Cuban Black Beans Recipes

VEGETARIAN CUBAN BLACK BEANS

Steps:

• Add the beans to a large bowl, cover with water and let stand overnight. Drain and discard the water or cook in a pressure cooker for 18 to 25 minutes (do not discard the water if using the pressure cooker).
• In a large Dutch oven, add the beans, 9 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer for 1 hour until the beans are fork tender.
• In a separate Dutch oven add the onion, green pepper, garlic and the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and saute until opaque. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. (If using a pressure cooker, do not use the pressure cooker to saute the beans any further. Use a heavy pot or a Dutch oven.)
• Add the cooked beans, to the pot with the onion mixture, along with the oregano, cumin, bay leaf, vinegar and wine. Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add additional salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the beans to a serving bowl and serve over the Fail-Proof Brown Rice.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a medium skillet, add the brown rice and the egg white, stirring constantly over medium heat, until the mixture is dry. Mix the water and bouillon cube in a medium bowl.
• Add a small amount of olive oil to a deep, large baking dish. (Cook's Note: I recommend a clear baking dish so you can monitor the water absorption).
• Pour the bouillon water, rice and egg mixture into the baking dish. Put the dish in the oven, and do not interrupt the cooking process. After 30 minutes, cover with foil and continue to cook for 30 more minutes, a total of 1 hour. Remove from oven, fluff with fork and serve.

BASIC VEGETARIAN BLACK BEANS AND RICE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a large skillet, heat the olive oil .
• Cook onion and green pepper until crisp-tender.
• Stir in tomatoes, beans, thyme, and garlic salt. Cook 3 minutes.
• Add vinegar, pepper sauce, and reserved juices, and continue to cook 5 minutes.
• Serve black beans over rice. Garnish with a lime wedge (optional).

CUBAN-STYLE BLACK BEANS

Steps:

• Soak the beans with the baking soda in 10 cups of water for about 3 hours. Rinse and drain.
• Add the beans to a Dutch oven and add 10 cups fresh water, along with the olive oil, cumin, oregano, sugar, vinegar, cilantro stems, bay leaves and onion. Simmer until the beans are soft, about 2 hours. Add 2 teaspoons of salt (or more to taste) and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

CUBAN BLACK BEANS

Steps:

• Cut 1 green pepper into 1-inch squares. Smash and peel 4 of the garlic cloves. Put the green pepper and garlic into a large pot with the beans, ham hock, bay leaves and 1 tablespoon salt. Add 2 quarts water and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and simmer until the beans are tender, an hour or more.
• Meanwhile, make a sofrito. Cut the remaining ½ green pepper into ¼-inch dice. Peel and finely chop the remaining garlic. Heat the olive oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the green pepper and onion and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapeño (leave out the seeds if you don't want it too spicy), oregano, cumin, black pepper and 2 teaspoons salt and stir for another minute. Pour in the vinegar and scrape any browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. This is your sofrito.
• When the beans are cooked, discard the bay leaf. Remove and set aside the ham hock and let it cool. Transfer 1 cup of beans to small bowl, mash them into a paste with the back of a fork and return to the pot. Add the sofrito, then the sugar. Pull the meat from the ham hock, leaving behind any white sinew or gristle. Chop the ham into ½-inch pieces and return it to the bean pot.
• Stir the beans well and bring to a boil over medium heat, then lower to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes or so, skimming any foam from the top. Taste for salt and serve with white rice.

SMOKEY VEGETARIAN CUBAN BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Place black beans into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 8 hours to overnight. Drain beans and rinse with fresh water.
• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat; cook and stir yellow onion, paprika, and cumin seeds until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add red bell pepper, green bell pepper, garlic, oregano, and bay leaves; cook and stir until onion is translucent and bell peppers are tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Mix vegetable stock, black beans, tempeh, rum, and jalapeno pepper into onion mixture. Increase heat to medium-high, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until beans are tender, about 45 minutes.
• Pour water into bean mixture; season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beans begin to fall apart and soup thickens, 30 to 40 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Remove and discard bay leaves from soup.
• Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with hard-boiled eggs and red onion.